Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Bowl Season at The Beer Authority!

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

This is a great time to come on down to the store, sip some great beer, and watch football.  Tonight the Holiday Bowl is on at 5:00 PM with a great matchup of Texas vs. Cal.  Tomorrow of course is the Alamo Bowl featuring the Huskies going against the Heisman Trophy led Baylor Bears.  That game is at 6:00 PM right after the Champs Bowl at 2:30 PM featuring Florida State againts Notre Dame. 

We have some heavy duty beers on tap right now with Oakshire Nutcracker Imperial Porter, Diamond Knott Double IPA, and Cascade Defroster Winter Ale. 

Happy hour is 2-4 so you can watch a good football game and drink these tasty beers at a discount. 

Come on down and enjoy!

Brad

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Ho Ho Ho!

Before you all head off to celebrate the holiday merriment and stuff your pieholes with Christmas cookies, egg nog, and all manner of edible indulgence, you should head to the Beer Authority tomorrow night (Wednesday the 21st) for the Diamond Knott Brewer's Night.  Pat is bringing a cask of HO HO in addition to a couple of other fine beers so it should be a great night to stop by.

Remember that we follow that up with the Ugly Sweater Party on Thursday with fabulous prizes!  (Although I doubt any of you can top my authentic, hand knitted, sherpa wool sweater from Nepal).

We'll have reduced hours Christmas Eve day and we are closed on Christmas Day.  We're going to be open until 1:00 AM on New Year's Eve however so come and celebrate with a beer toast if you're in our neck of the woods!

After the holidays we have a special brewer's night with Snoqualmie brewery celebrating their 14th Anniversary with the Louis Quatorzie!

Cheers!

Brad

Friday, December 16, 2011

Join us for some football!

Having just won three out of four quarters in our little football pool from last week I'm now flush with cash that some of you undoubtedly contributed to my good fortune, so thank you!  With the Seahawks playing early on the road this Sunday against Da Bears we will have the store open early so there is a place for people to watch as the Hawks continue their unprobable run toward the playoffs.

New beer...  The Super Vaproizer is now on tap from Double Mountain. 

On Wednesday next week please join us for a brewer's night with Diamond Knott, followed by the Ugly Sweater contest on Thursday.

I'd also like to point out that my brother graced us with his presence last night and was three sheets to the wind by the time I arrived...as it should be!

More later-

Brad

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

More Great Beers for the Holidays!

It just keeps getting better!  We have some great beers on tap right now, including a real good one from Lazy Boy called Belgian Golden Ale, only oaked in a Jack Daniels barrell which gives it a rich, smooth flavor taking some of the bite out of their more traditional golden ale. 

In addition to the beers coming up mentioned in the newsletter we will also have the Cascade IPA and Cascade Sour going on tap, and Cascade's The Creek coming soon in bottles.

A reminder to join us next Thursday and the following Wednesday for brewer's nights with New Belgian and Diamond Knot respectively.  Also, on the 22nd we will be holding an Ugly Sweater contest with fabulous prizes going to those willing to dig out their most hideous Christmas attire.  Good times!

On deck in the bar we are bringing in another keg of the Schooner Exact Hoppy the Woodsman and Burc pulled some strings to get one of only 10 kegs in the state of the Firestone Walker Oaked Velvet Merkin!

Neither of these beers will last long so keep an eye out for them...

Finally, as mentioned before we will have the four remaining Thursday Night Football NFL games on and of course all of the seasonal college bowl games.

Stay thirsty my friends!

Brad

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Well rested from the holidays?

Well here we are mid-way through the post Thanksgiving week of gluttony.  By now most of you have made it past the food comas and are returning to your normal routines which means it's time to drink more beer!

Luckily Burc continues to put on some great ones.  The Southern Tier Oatmeal Stout has made its way back on and if you're looking for something a little less meaty we currently have the very good Zwick'l Kellerbrier German unfiltered lager.  For those of you who want a beer that packs the wallop of a mini mart malt liquor but actually tastes good try the excellent Red Ales Ten Squared Imperial IPA which is basically a barely wine.

Tomorrow the Seahawks will be featured on Thursday Night Football...yes, we have the NFL Network.  You're welcome.

If you haven't been in the store for a while you'll notice a really cool new table that has a chalk board top.  As we have had to tell a couple of patrons already, no penisis or vaginas please.

Until next time...

Brad

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Wednesday!

It's hump day, and more importantly those of us who are chained to a desk most of the time have skated out early to start the long Thanksgiving weekend.  I'm down at the Beer Authority sipping the fabulous Deschutes Abyss that just went on tap...come and have a glass soon because it aint gonna last.

Tomorrow Burc will have the store open for a while in the morning so our patrons can come in and get their pre-turkey meal buzz on while watching the first competitive Thanksgiving day Lions game in perhaps 20 years.  Good times.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Brad

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Beer for the holidays!

We have some incredible beer in the store right now people.  This is my favorite time of year at the store as all of the seasonal beers are being released.  One of my favorites is the Old Stock Cellar Reserve Ale, an insane bourbon aged strong ale that packs a staggering 13.5% punch!  We have many more great new beers in stock so come on down and stock up! 

If you're looking for a place to watch the game and sip on the great beer we have on tap, we recently added some additional seating and you can now order sushi from next door at 10% off and they will be happy to deliver it right to the Beer Authority!

More later...

Brad

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Fresh Blood at The Beer Authority!

Hey everyone, Brad Adams here...yes, Barry's brother.  Most of you who stumble onto the blog probably already know that Barry and I recently brought in a new partner.  Burc McFarland is now the big man in charge and is running the day to day in the store.  Barry is in a much better place spending time with his son and daughter at home most days and singing kumbaya, although he shows up from time to time in the store.  As for me, I mostly take up space drinking our very excellent beer and getting fatter and fatter...


Anyway, I'm taking a stab at updating the blog since nobody has entered anything new on it since Colin became the first of our patrons to hit the 50 mug mark. 


Under Burc's stewardship we have hosted a few Brewer's nights recently with Wychwood & Blacksheep from England pouring their tasty ales, and Pike's Brewing introducing a great extra hop ale.


Next up on November 2nd we are featuring Alaskan Perseverance Ale which is a Russian Imp Stout, also their Smoked Porter from 2008 and a tasty Winter Ale.  Steve from Alaskan is going to break out some vintage Smoked Porter as well...this is one tasting you want to be here on time for!.  Limited bottles of vintage Smoked Porter for people to sample while supplies last.  6- 8 PM


On November 3rd we are lucky enough to host the kick off party for the 21st Amendment Brewery's collaboration with Ninkasi Brewery featuring "Allies Win the War", an English style strong ale aged over dates and brewed with northwest hops.  Jason from 21st Amendment and Josh from Ninkasi will be representing from 6-8 PM and all 21st Amendment  and Ninkasi products will be 10 % off!!


So...more to come.  I'm determined to keep our blog updated, accurate and relevant.


Cheers!


Brad

Friday, June 17, 2011

A Crown For The Undisputed King Of 50 Beers!!

The race for 1st if officially over.  The rules of the Mug Club were simple.  Purchase 50 beers and get a mug with your name etched on it.  Sounds innocent enough, right?  Well, that changed quickly.  Instead on a community creating offering to get personalized mugs for our regulars it turned into a Death Race 2000 style free for all to see who could get there 1st.

At first it seemed that Colin would take the prize easily.  This is, indeed his home turf and he has been applying pressure to the barstools since the taps were installed a year and a half ago.  About a week into the competition, Colin had a commanding lead at 29 drafts to the next competitor with 19.  Suddenly, out of nowhere, Matt shows up on a Wednesday and kills 13 beers. (to be honest, he did buy some for friends and did not drink that many in one sitting. but he could)

With the pressure on, Colin realized that his lead was, under no circumstances, safe.  So he did what any proud regular would do.  he took off work early and came to the Pub.  Like a man on a mission he downed everything he could get his lips on.  It was like a pie eating contest but not gross.  When I left work at 6:30 he had upped his tally to 33 or 34 and, with eyes as focused as a high-wire-walker working without a net, he continued.

I went home, showered, ate and went to my other job.  All the while wondering what was happening back at the B.A. had Matt returned to add to his total?  Were the two simply staring across the table from each other, pounding beer after beer like Karen Allen and the giant freak in "Raiders Of The Lost Ark"?  Would it be a sprint to the finish?

In the end, I received text message around 10pm yesterday saying he had reached the goal!  50 pints!  Not all drank by Colin, but all purchased and all consumed.  So here's to the King!  And for the King, a Crown!

Cheer, Colin!










-Phil

..and here he is the next day.  Still in one piece...

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Airway Brewing is Really Taking Off!

Alex Dittmar and his wife have successfully beaten the odds.  They built a ground up business in a remote location (Kent, Wa.) during the worst recession in modern history.  In a recent conversation, he told me that they started out with a year lease on a business space in order to cut bait should the brewery fail.  This is a very realistic view of the market as so many bars and restaurants don't last a single year.  I am happy to report that they have passed the year mark and are now looking at a 5 year lease.  Airways is also adding a bistro to the mix.  Here is an email interview Alex was kind enough to grant The Beer Authority.

Phil- Beside your own delicious beverages, what is your current favorite beer?

Alex- It depends on the day, time of year and location. If I'm in the mood for something light, I'll go for a Chuckanut or Bitburger Pilsner. Darker, a Diamond Knot Possession Porter. Hoppier, you can't beat a local, Washington IPA. Elysian is the brewery that always has something pleasing for me. Same with Silver City.

Phil- How long has Airways been producing beer. How did you get into this industry?

Alex- We moved into our current location in October of 2009, brewed our first batch on January 31, 2010 and opened our doors on March 4, 2010. I started as a home brewer, won some nice awards for my beer, and decided I could produce a product just as good, if not better, than some of what was out there. It took a couple of years of planning before we finally decided to do it.

Phil- Checking your website, it seems there is some remodeling going on in the tap room? I did notice a date of June 9 as the ready date. I just happened to notice it is June 9. Are you on schedule or do drinkers have to bring protective eye wear?

Alex- We did open the tap room on June 9th on schedule. That doesn't mean we're done. I'd say it's about 90% done, with most of the remaining items purely cosmetic. The only big thing left is to install the new draft system, which has to wait for the new walk-in cooler to arrive. We hope to have everything in place by July 9th, when we have our expansion party. As far as protective eyewear, that's always a good idea. And, bring power tools too.

Phil- There seems to be no lack of young, craft breweries in the Northwest. Have you found the climate to competitive or is it more like a large family?

Alex- I come from two very competitive industries - radio broadcasting and the airlines. The collaborative nature of the brewing industry has taken some getting used to. I'm still a little shy about asking for help. But, when I do, my fellow brewers come through with flying colors. For example, we don't brew our Starliner Stout in 7-barrel batches that often, so to spend a couple hundred bucks for yeast that will get thrown out impacts  our costs in a significant way. The nice folks at Big Al's have given me a spare pitch of that yeast twice now. They don't have to, but they're really genuinely nice people and have been happy to help.

Phil- What are the most challenging aspects of running a business like yours? What are the best parts?

Alex- Our biggest challenge right now is how to balance our tap room needs vs.. our distribution desires. We don't distribute a lot, but when we do, we like to keep our customers happy and stocked with our beer. Until our new 10-barrel system gets here in August, that balancing act gets really tricky. The best part of this business is our customers. We've been blessed with a really nice group of regulars in our Kent tap room. And, it's always fun to welcome new people as well.

Phil- How many employees do you have?  Which employee would you say is the weakest?  If he/she were to get fired can I have their job?

Alex- By the end of the month, Including myself, we'll have two full-time and three part-time employees. When we open our Bistro in downtown Kent in mid-summer, we'll add more than a dozen new folks. We fire tap room favorite Greg daily - sometimes multiple times - and sometimes even the customers get in on wielding the hatchet. If you hang out at the tap room long enough, I'm sure you can have his job for the five minute intervals he remains fired until we rehire him.

Phil- It seems that, if you were not a brewer, you would be an aviation collector.  Can you share with us some of the airplane parts that you have procured for the brewery?  Also, why the airline theme?

Alex- We have a 747 nose cone hanging on the wall in the brewery. That's my prize eBay find. Soon, we'll add a spiral staircase from an old 747. Haven't decided where to put that yet. Then, there are the various small airliner parts - 727 flap sections, 707 posters, etc. Classic airliners is our theme, and I love finding decorative items to support it.

The airline theme came about because I've always been a big jet guy. In addition to my Farrah Fawcett Majors orange swimsuit poster, as a kid, I had posters of airliners on my bedroom wall. Big planes have always fascinated me and still do.

----------------------



Here is a list of Airways' regular taps.  They also carry many special and seasonal Brews.

    * T-Tail Blonde Ale™
    * Jet City ESB™
    * First Class IPA™
    * Starliner Stout™
    * Sky Hag IPA™

Stop by and check it out.  Here is their address:


And be sure to check out the web site:
http://airwaysbrewing.com/

Thanks, Alex, for taking the time to correspond with me.  See you soon.

-Phil

Monday, June 13, 2011

Leaked Documents!

Yesterday, pre-noon, a volume of text messages began between a local (very local) business owner and an employee.  The texts appear to be a list of non-existent books and authors whose name pronunciations reference said books. You may remember the old standards like, "Yellow River" by I. P. Freely etc.

The messages have been leaked to me and I would like to share them with you, the reader/drinker.  Many of these texts are graphic in nature.  Parental guidance is advised.  It should also be known that reading these texts could lead to unexpected groaning and grimacing.

The following is an excerpt from the correspondence.  Here you go....

Sunday June 12
10:07 a.m.- BA  Another book title: "The Rainbow Connection" by Amanda Hugginkiss

10:09 a.m.-PP  "Today I Sit" by Stan Tamara

10:15 a.m. BA  "Home Alone" by Jack Goff

10:17 a.m. PP  "Great Expectations" by Anne T. Sepation

10:39 a.m. BA  "Near Miss" by Sully D. Pants

11:08 a.m. PP  "Naughty Girl" by Lucinda Kaboose

11:09 a.m. BA “Social Butterfly” by Greg Arious

11:20 a.m. BA “Home Alone 2  by Rosie Palm. Ok, that was too easy
   
11:24 a.m. BA “Reagan Democrats: A New Congress.” by Eileen Wright

11:26 a.m. PP “Asian Republican” by Irene Wright

11:26 a.m. BA “My Life As An Asian Republican.” by Irene Wright

11:26 a.m. BA You were quicker than me

11:27 a.m. PP  Ha            

11:28 a.m. BA “A Life In Crime” by Jimmy Delocke

11:31 a.m. BA “1001 Bad Gay Jokes” by Peter N. Butts.  Illustrated by Rich A. Round

11:33 a.m. BA “American Gigalo” by I. B. Hoeing

11:37 a.m. BA  ”Urban Hipsters” by Anne Droge-Innis

11:45 a.m. BA “Stash the Cash” by Barry D. Monet

----Then a long break

1:16 p.m. PP “Life in the Post-Modern World” by Cashious King

3:00 p.m. PP “It’s Not Gay if it’s a 3 Way” by Sharon Moorhead

----Then another break

8:35 p.m. PP “Shaking Apart” by Grant Malsey-Shure

8:46 p.m. BA “What I learned In Prison” by Rob A. Banks

9:01 p.m. BA “Plumbing Problems” by Aretha Trickle

9:03 p.m. PP Alright  You finally made me laugh out loud......“The 1 Thing I Love” by Cory Moshun

9:05 p.m. PP Btw. This all goes on the blog.

9:06 p.m. BA Sweet, Made for a good Sunday afternoon too.

9:09 p.m. PP “You Got That Right ” by Thad Fodam-Schure

9:19 p.m. PP You are definitely my favorite employer..................by Blossoun Shinopy-Hearaz

10:22 p.m. PP “It Could Happen” by Dray Gonulong

10:41 p.m. BA “Identity Problems of the Elderly” by Graham E. Tranny

10:49 p.m. BA “Dude Looked Like a Lady” by Jenn DerBender

11:10 p.m. BA “A Boy’s Fantasy” by Les B. Anne.  Too easy?

Then, without warning, as someone was trying to sleep Monday morning...

7:31 a.m. BA “How LeBron James Became a Superstar” by B. A. D’Bagge

Friday, June 10, 2011

Who Will Be the First Customer to Reach 50?

This picture courtesy of Mark, one of our regulars.  So far Colin is in the lead with 12 beers AND is expected to make an appearance tonight.  I can not stress enough the importance of getting your mug before Colin.  It's just going to go to his head.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Hey! That's My Beer!

"Oh, yeah? Well, I don't see your name on it!"

How many times has this happened to you? Never? Well, that's not the damn point. The point is, it could happen. It is physically possible for someone to drink your beer claiming it is their own. What's worse? Outside CSI style DNA testing, there is no way of proving it. . . .

UNTIL NOW!!!!

That's right people. You can PROVE that beer belongs to you because it is in YOUR mug with YOUR name etched into the glass. Starting right now you can sign up for the mug club. It costs no money but returns so much satisfaction! Simply stop into the Beer Authority, order a beer, fill out a card with your name and play the waiting game.

This next part it a bit tricky so pay attention. You will receive your mug after you finish 50 pints. (10 oz. pours and cracked bottles count but not schooners) You will not, under any circumstances, be allowed to drink 50 pints on your 1st visit. That's not a club. That's a suicide mission and all together bad for repeat business.

Your boss may have his name on his office door but he does NOT have it etched on a mug at the Beer Authority. So, sir, he does not. That privilege is reserved for you and you alone.**

So come on in and be a part of something great!

Your Pal,

-Phil

** Your boss is not excluded from this offer provided he is a customer of B.A. in which case he or she will have their name printed both on their office door AND our Mug. This will likely suck for you if you hate him/her. Or it could be fine, really, I'm not your career counselor. I'm just a guy who loves beer.



and chicken.

Friday, May 20, 2011


I think you will find most things at Beer Authority unchanged in a post-Rapture world. Oh, but we may have a few extra cars. Sweet.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

What's coming up!

Alright everyone. Here is a little glimpse of what to expect in the near future.

1) Seattle Beer Week starts Thursday May 19 and miraculously goes til the 29th. I know it seems weird to have such a long week but, if you have ever hung out at a bar, you know how fast 2am comes. (Beer makes time go by fast) So, in beer weeks, 11 days is the equivalent of 7 "normal" days. Anyhoo, we will be pouring Washington beers all "week" and will have a list for you in our email. Expect it Wednesday.

2) Starting at 2pm on Saturday, May 29 we will be hosting Fish Brewing's Salmon Bake. The day looks to be sunny and Fish's own Burc will be there with bottles of vintage beer. Mike is compiling all the details for this event and will have them available shortly via our newsletter.

3) I am currently working on an interview with a local beer insider about Ninkasi and K&L. My informant shall remain unidentified for no particular reason. I can tell you this, he has vast knowledge of the industry and a lot to say. I am hoping to work with him on a regular basis. Heck, maybe I will eventually tell you his name so he can get the credit he deserves.

4) Sunday marks Firestone Walker's "Parabola" release. Be there by noon. Something super-cool and super-secret will be occurring. We are not allowed to talk about it. I'm not even supposed to think about it. Now I am just thinking about baseball. . . . .I'm thinking about that thing again. Damn!

Well, that is all I have for you at this time. I look forward to seeing your smiling faces down at the "Authority".

Cheers to you, Cheers to Beer and as the Irish say, "May ya be buried a full day before the necrophiliacs find out yer dead!"

-Phil

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Thursday Night 5pm Come on in!

We will be sampling American Brewing's "Ed's Red" and "Oatmeal Chocolate Mint Stout".

Here's a like to the brewery so you can get to know them a bit better.
http://www.americanbrewing.com/

Burton Union. Not a Portland Hippy-Band.

The boss wanted me to inform you all about Firestone's fermentation process. I'm not sure what is happening in the video, but the result seems to be beer. Great beer, really.

Since I am at the drinking and pouring side of the beer industry. Maybe you can tell me exactly what happens in this system.